Crystal glass and cubic zirconia are both used as stone simulants, but the comparison stops there. CZ has a higher refractive index and significantly greater hardness. It outperforms glass optically and holds up where glass doesn't.
Made With Purpose
Lever backs were developed for drop and dangle formats where a straight post-and-clutch system isn't practical. The hinged wire threads through the piercing and closes on itself, providing secure suspension for earrings designed to move. Clutch backs are more appropriate for stud or on-the-ear styles.
Fresh & Current
The ear climber's influence on subsequent earring design is visible in how designers now approach the ear as a surface. The format's success with the helix zone made it credible to design for points above the lobe: leading to the curation movement and the array of formats that now engage the conch, tragus, and cartilage as distinct design territories. The ear climber opened the surface; what followed filled it.